Meet the Pikmin

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We break down the different character classes in the game.

By IGN Staff

Nintendo's Pikmin 2, the sequel to 2001's hit quasi-real-time strategy for GameCube, is now out in Japan. IGNcube's editors have spent the last day and a half with the title and it's safe to assume that they are downright addicted. Editor-in-chief Matt Casamassina, who resembles one of the Purple Pikmin, has even taken to singing the Pikmin theme song whenever IGN director Peer Schneider commands him around the office environment.

But we digress. Newcomers to the Pikmin universe may not know why there are different colored Pikmin, and gamers who played the original will still find themselves scratching their head when it comes to the new classes. Bearing this in mind, IGNcube has developed a quick guide to the Pikmin classes in Nintendo's latest game. We think that readers will find it revealing and useful.

There were three characters classes in the original game and now there are five. Red, Blue, Yellow, White and Purple Pikmin make up the diversified bunch of alien creatures.

Red Pikmin Like in the original game, you start out with Red Pikmin -- and they will most likely remain the most common face in your miniature army. Red Pikmin are still the best allround fighters in the game. They run reasonably fast and are able to take out even larger enemies rather quickly. But their best trait is that they're fireproof. In addition to fire-spitting creatures, Pikmin 2 also serves up burning Chappies and plenty of fire traps, so this ability is a key to solving many stages.

Yellow Pikmin The second type of Pikmin you encounter has gotten a big upgrade from the original game. Yellow Pikmin are now impervious to electric shocks, making them the only ones to be able to tear down electric fences and deal with electrified enemies. And just like before, their lightweight bodies mean that they can be thrown much higher into the air to obtain treasures and creatures that may be out of the reach of their other-colored brethren.

Blue Pikmin You won't be able to get the coveted Blue Pikmin without the help of the yellow guys. But once you've got them, you'll be using them all the time. Blue Pikmin may not be the best fighters, but they're the only type to be able to breathe and walk underwater. Perfect for taking out aquatic enemies -- or letting the water out of pools to pave the way for the rest of the tribe.

But Pikmin 2 wouldn't be much of sequel if it didn't introduce some new allies. Early on in the game, you'll come across a set of subterranean purple flowers. Toss five regular Pikmin onto their petals and out come five slightly overweight Purple Pikmin. An hour or so later, you'll find white flowers that provide, you guessed it, White Pikmin.

Purple Pikmin Not quite as fast as the others, these purple guys still rock the house. Literally. Toss them at enemies or objects and they'll land on them with a loud bang -- and cause tons of damage. Apart from weighing 10 times as much as regular Pikmin, they can also carry 10 times the weight. So a creature that takes 100 regular Pikmin can be carried by just 10 purple ones.

<p White Pikmin These tiny, red-eyed guys are not only fast, they're also immune to poison from mechanical emitters, plants and creatures -- and are actually poisonous themselves. Plus, their creepy red eyes let them discover hidden treasures not visible to the other Pikmin.